1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is directed to an image forming apparatus, such as a copier, a printer, a facsimile, a multiple-function machine, etc., in which interior portions of the image forming apparatus can be accessed by opening first and second covers, and more particularly the present invention is directed to a design of the covers for such an image forming apparatus.
2. Discussion of the Background
A background image forming apparatus, such as a copier, a printer, a facsimile, a multiple-function machine, etc., typically includes a photosensitive body and a fixing unit inside of a front door. In such a background image forming apparatus a paper feed-jam may occur, and when such a paper feed-jam occurs an operator can open the front door of the image forming apparatus and clear the paper feed-jam, for example by rotating a knob coupled to a paper-feeding roller, or by other operations. Such a background image forming apparatus is very common, and it has therefore become very standard practice for an operator of an image forming apparatus to automatically open a front door of the image forming apparatus when a paper feed-jam occurs.
However, recently the miniaturization of such an image forming apparatus has become important. As a result, in certain background image forming apparatuses a process cartridge, which includes a photosensitive body, a fixing unit, and paper feeding rollers may be densely packed, i.e. positioned very close to each other, at one side of the image forming apparatus. In this situation it may occur that the image forming apparatus does not allow easy access to the internal elements thereof which must be accessed when trying to remove a jammed paper sheet by only opening the front door. Such an image forming apparatus may then further include a side door which also has to be opened in conjunction with the front door to properly access the internal elements in the image forming apparatus which must be accessed to remove a jammed paper sheet.
However, most operators of image forming apparatuses are accustomed to only opening a front door of an image forming apparatus to remove a jammed paper sheet. Therefore, the operator may not be aware that a further side door also has to be opened to remove a jammed paper sheet. In this situation, the operator may actually make the paper jam situation worse by only opening the front door of the image forraing apparatus and attempting to remove a jammed paper sheet without opening the side door. In a compact image forming apparatus the operator may actually incur an injury, for example an electric shock, or may damage a photosensitive body when the operator tries to remove a jammed paper sheet in this situation.
One system of addressing preventing an electric shock to an operator is to include an interlock switch in the image forming apparatus which cuts off power when the front door is opened. However, this solution still does not assist the operator in removing the jammed paper sheet, and may still result in the operator damaging the photosensitive body. Such a system with an interlock switch also adds several parts to the image forming apparatus.